WANTED Engineers, sales, policy, marketing, public relations
WHERE Waterloo, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal
EMPLOYEES 100 Even if it weren't one of the coolest, most innovative companies on the planet, the perks alone would make Google worth the gruelling hiring process (which includes an initial phoner and as many as three face-to-face interviews). The company's Canadian operations are small-just over 100 people-but they're looking to hire in just about every department. Employees are encouraged to spend 20% of their time working on a pet project (that's how Gmail and Google News were created), and to take free courses-personal finance, language, work-related skills-through Google University. Free meals, sleek, open-concept offices (with phone rooms for private gabs with mom), Ping-Pong and video games make it just a bit easier to put in the long hours Google demands.

WHAT THEY WANT Chris O'Neill, the managing director of Google Canada, breaks it into four parts: "First, role-related knowledge and experience. Second, we want people who understand that the challenges of today will be different tomorrow-people who can think through problems. Third, leadership, whether it's a local non-profit, sports or your church. Then there's 'Googliness'-people who value teamwork, have the audacity and desire to think really big, and have a desire to make a difference in the world."

WHAT THEY DON'T WANT "People who think incrementally don't tend to do well here," says O'Neill.

VIBE You don't need to wear a suit to be taken seriously.

INSIDE TRACK "I like to hear people say 'we' more than 'I,'" says O'Neill.

DEAL BREAKER "Would I want to spend four hours in an airport with you?"

_____

GET A JOB AT...BARRICK GOLD

WANTED Finance, accounting, project managers, civil engineers, geologists
WHERE Toronto and international
EMPLOYEES 20,000 Attention, travel fanatics: Jetting around the globe is practically a requisite for working at the world's largest gold producer. Barrick has 25 operating mines on five continents-some of them in dicey locales. With gold trading at record-high prices, the prospects for growth are huge-and so are the opportunities for new employees. If you have kids, you'll be happy to know Barrick offers scholarships worth $4,000-plus for dependants (first undergrad degree only). Also, a Canadian passport gets you a spot in the candidate pipeline anywhere in the world.

WHAT THEY WANT People who are mobile, able to work cross-culturally and aware of the challenges of the mining business. "We're looking for folks who have that passion to succeed and are entrepreneurial," says Chad Hiley, VP of human resources. "Continuous improvement is one of the ways it manifests itself. It comes from our roots-we started with one mine 27 years ago and we're now the global leader."

WHAT THEY DON'T WANT People who aren't thrilled about travelling.

VIBE Work hard, earn big.

INSIDE TRACK Prospective employees go through multiple interviews with HR, management and other employees to make sure they understand Barrick's culture and the demands of the job. Don't be shy about grilling them: One of the company's core principles is, "We hire employees, but they also hire us."

MOVE ON UP Barrick's Global Succession Planning Program lets employees build knowledge and skills by temporarily placing them in jobs of greater complexity.

_________

GET A JOB AT...MAPLE LEAF SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WANTED Finance, accounting, IT
WHERE Toronto
EMPLOYEES 600 full-time If you're a fan of the Leafs, Raptors or Toronto FC, working at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is a dream gig. They might all be losing teams, but there's lots of opportunity at MLSE, with three specialty channels, marquee restaurants, the Air Canada Centre and a major real estate development. Since the company gets hundreds of applications for jobs, it might take longer than many companies to choose the right person. But lucky hires enjoy proximity to sports superstars, the chance to attend a leadership course taught by CEO Richard Peddie and Friday afternoons off during the summer. A very strong culture of employee recognition includes tickets to shows, games and trips to Air Canada destinations.

WHAT THEY WANT "We have an obligation to entertain people, and we have to make sure we're here for the fans and looking after them," says Mardi Walker, MLSE's senior VP of people. "It's having a very strong service mindset, being flexible on when you are going to be working, being team-oriented and not being afraid to work hard."

WHAT THEY DON'T WANT People who think being a Leafs or Raptors fan qualifies them for a job. If you're looking for 9 to 5, this is the wrong place to be.

VIBE "We're always playing to win on the ice, the court or the pitch, and in the executive suite."

BEST FIT If you're a classic Type A, MLSE is your kind of place. The company attracts sports-loving, sports-playing, driven personalities. Passion is crucial.

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